Financing your degree can feel overwhelming, but Tulane's Office of Financial Aid is always available to provide support. Here are a few steps you'll need to take if you're unsure where to start.
1. Apply for financial aid
All students should complete the Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible. This is what determines your eligibility federal financial aid. Remember: you don't have to be admitted to complete your FAFSA!
Stay on task with financial aid processes by using the applicable Aid Application Checklist on the Office of Financial Aid School of Social Work website. After admission, we highly recommend you complete the applicable year's School of Social Work Financial Aid Addendum. Be sure to submit the addendum each term!
2. Explore scholarship opportunities
External scholarships and grants are a great way to supplement federal and university-provided financial aid.
Tulane partners with Scholarships360, a platform that makes it easy for prospective and current Tulane students to find and apply for outside scholarships to help cover their cost of attendance.
Below, you'll find a few examples of organizations that offer scholarships for a wide variety of students. All outside financial aid should be reported to the Tulane University Office of Financial Aid.
City Year is proud to partner with Tulane School of Social Work, a leading graduate school focused on clinical-community practice and promoting social and economic justice with more than 6,000 alumni worldwide, offering 25% annual tuition scholarships.
Social Work-Related Organizations
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) offers graduate school scholarships and doctoral fellowships, including the Neysa Fanwick Memorial Scholarship, which was established in honor of a Tulane School of Social Work alumna.
National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) offers scholarship resources.
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) offers funding opportunities for students.
Phi Alpha Honors Society for social work offers scholarships.
The Social Science Research Council offers a variety of fellowship programs that foster the innovation of new policy solutions to meet our most pressing needs.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine share fellowship opportunities for graduate and doctoral students.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education hosts a wide variety of opportunities, ranging from graduate scholarships to postdoctoral fellowships.
Population Council offers fellowships for students studying social sciences.
Leopold Schepp Foundation Scholarship provides educational scholarships to full-time undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate a combination of fine character, academic excellence, financial need, compassion, a commitment to volunteerism and whose goal will benefit mankind.
Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation is the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for those pursuing careers as public service leaders.
Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund is for students who demonstrate active participation in civil rights, economic justice, international solidarity, or other progressive issues. These need-based scholarships are awarded to those able to do academic work at the university level and who are part of the progressive movement on the campus and in the community.
The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program (formerly known as Fellows/USA) is a graduate fellowship program that offers financial assistance to returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
Many religious organizations set aside funds to support students who are pursuing careers in community service and social work. These programs are typically restricted to members of the faith in general, and often to members of specific congregations. Students interested in pursuing social work as a career should contact the leaders of their church, synagogue, or religious community for information on financial aid which may be available to help them pay for college.
These few examples will give an idea of the types of aid that may be available from within your religious community:
- The Jewish Community Centers Association of North America Professional Development Scholarships are designed to help current, full-time JCC professionals deepen and enhance their professional knowledge to advance their career at a Jewish Community Center or Jewish Community Camp (JCC).
- The United Methodist Scholarship Program is a church-wide educational service providing several different kinds of scholarships to help supplement the financial needs of undergraduate and graduate students.
American Indian Education Program -- The Indian Health Services Health Professionals Program scholarship is eligible to students enrolled in a federally recognized tribe with a 2.0 GPA or higher. Students must be pursuing a degree in a health related profession or be a junior or senior in college planning to get a masters in social work or physical therapy.
American Association of University Women support women who hold a bachelor's degree and are preparing to advance their careers, change careers, or re-enter the work force. Primary consideration is given to women of color and women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in nontraditional fields.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund offers a number of scholarships for persons of Hispanic background obtaining their first graduate degree.
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a merit-based fellowship exclusively for immigrants and children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate school in the United States.
PFLAG New Orleans offers scholarships for self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer students with Louisiana residency.
The Organization of American States Rowe Fund supports Latin American and Caribbean students pursuing higher education in the United States by providing interest-free loans and supplementary scholarships.
The Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential, despite the obstacles often put before them, to make a significant impact on society.
William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fellowship for Minority Students offers funding for highly motivated graduate or undergraduate students from communities of color seeking to address issues and challenges affecting philanthropy, social enterprise, nonprofit organizations, and other actors in the social sector.
The Belgian American Educational Foundation offers graduate and doctoral scholarships for Belgians studying in the United States.
The American-Scandinavian Foundation provides scholarships for Scandinavian students studying in the United States.
P.E.O. Sisterhood's International Peace Scholarship provides funding for women from outside the United States seeking degrees from U.S. graduate programs.
The Institute for Citizens and Scholars offers dissertation scholarships for students with a variety of interests.
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation provides scholarships for doctoral students completing dissertations examining violence.
The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation provides funding for students in the final year of their doctoral dissertations related to ethics, values, morals, or religion.
Ford Foundation's Global Fellowship is available for those proposing innovative solutions to end inequality.
The National Academy of Education offers a fellowship for students writing dissertations relevant to improving education.
Disaster Resilience Leadership Students
Advancing Earth and Space Sciences provides a variety of grants and awards.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office for Coastal Management hosts a variety of fellowships for students interested in coastal resilience and management.
Master of Social Work & Master of Public Health Dual-Degree Students
The Pincus Violence Prevention Scholarship is a new interdisciplinary, two-year scholarship program that integrates faculty across all schools at Tulane, particularly the Schools of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Social Work, and Medicine, the Violence Prevention Institute (VPI), and a network of community partners across the city.
The Phillip O. Lawson Graduate Scholarship Endowed Fund is used for graduate students in the joint Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work degree program awarded through the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Master of Social Work & Juris Doctor Dual-Degree Students
Tulane Law School maintains a list of scholarship opportunities for law students.
Additional external funding sources can be found on Tulane's Financial Aid webpage.
Tulane School of Social Work also offers Roll Wave Scholarships for Masters-level students based on merit. Students do not submit a separate application for these scholarships. Merit is calculated based on the overall grade point average of the bachelor’s degree-granting institution and is offered at the time of admission.
We are able to offer Roll Wave Scholarships to the majority of our student body due largely to the kindness of generous donors who want to help foster a new generation of social workers.
Students are also eligible for employment opportunities within the School of Social Work.
3. Research loan options
Before you make any borrowing decisions, you should review your student loan history. Students who have borrowed student loans from the federal government, a private lender, or another institution in the past can refer to this useful guide to learn how to obtain their records.
Federal loans
The landscape of federal loans for graduate students is rapidly changing. Beginning July 1, 2026, changes to the law will affect the amount graduate students can borrow, the types of loans available, and their repayment options after graduation. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators has put together a helpful explanation of recent changes that we encourage students to review.
Incoming graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal loans through the U.S. Department of Education. Eligibility for these federal loans is determined by your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Students enrolled prior to July 1, 2026, may be eligible to continue their Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans. Students who are unsure whether they qualify as legacy or non-legacy borrowers should contact the Office of Financial Aid before making borrowing decisions.
Private loans
Private alternative loans are available for students who are ineligible for federal loans or who need additional financing. Tulane partners with ELMSelect to provide students with a tool to search for and compare vetted private lenders.
4. Consider a payment plan
Student Accounts Receivable offers the opportunity for admitted students to enroll in the Tulane Installment Prepayment Plan (TIPP) for the Fall and Spring semesters. Students who wish to enroll in TIPP for the Fall semester may begin contributing in April, while students who with to enroll in TIPP for the Spring semester may begin contributing in October. Payment plans run through the first month of the semester, so it is best to enroll as early as possible.
We are able to offer Roll Wave Scholarships to the majority of our student body due largely to the kindness of donors who want to help foster a new generation of social workers. Students do not submit a separate application for these scholarships. To view a full list of our generous donors, click here.
Questions about financial aid eligibility, federal loans, private loans, or payment options?
Contact the Office of Financial Aid for personalized support.
